Benjamin Montoya is an Associate Professor of History at Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas, USA. He is the author of Risking Immeasurable Harm: Immigration Restriction and U.S.-Mexican Diplomatic Relations, 1924-1932 (2020) and co-editor of Beyond 1917: The United States and the Global Legacies of the Great War (2017).

• List of FiguresList of TablesAcknowledgementsIntroduction Part I–Laws and Systems1. A synthesis of U.S. juridical immigration law, 1780s-2010s2. A synthesis of U.S. congressional immigration restriction, 1880s to 2000s3. A synthesis of the parallel developments of the international and the U.S. refugee resettlement regimes, 1921-1980Part II–Case Studies 4. Japanese, 1900s-1920s5. Mexicans, 1920s6. Jews, 1930s-1940s7. Chinese, 1930s-1950s 8. Vietnamese, 1970s9. Cubans, 1960s-198010. Central Americans, 1980s-1990s11. Mexicans, 1980s-2000sConclusionBibliographyIndex

If a historian’s job is to challenge established narratives, then Benjamin Montoya has certainly delivered. This work offers a groundbreaking reinterpretation of US immigration policies, skillfully weaving together domestic elements—from legislation to citizenship—and the longstanding racial biases in immigration with the intricate dynamics of international relations. The outcome is a compelling and fresh perspective on the making of the USA into “a nation of immigrants.” This book deepens our understanding of a pivotal aspect of US society - and politics. It merits a broad readership on both sides of the Atlantic.